After 121 years, the Rose Parade changes its name, sells corporate sponsorship

After 121 years, the Tournament of Roses Parade is changing it name.

As part of a new sponsorship deal with Honda, the 2011 parade officially will be known as the 122nd Rose Parade, Presented by Honda.

Parade officials stressed that there will be no major changes in the parade itself and noted that Honda had a long associate with the event.

"Welcoming Honda as Presenting Sponsor of the 2011 Rose Parade is an organic evolution of our long-standing partnership," said Pasadena Tournament of Roses President Jeffrey L. Throop in a statement. "For five decades, we have worked side-by-side with Honda to develop the Rose Parade into what it is today, and we are proud Honda is such a significant member of the Tournament family."

Rose Parade officials also said to look for some changes in the marketing of the event to note Honda's sponsorship.

"In support of this new step in its partnership with Honda, the Tournament of Roses will launch a new trademark composite logo recognizing and incorporating the Honda brand logo," the parade organizers said in the statement.

-- Shelby Grad

Photo: Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[JR]

I wonder when people will start tatooing a corporate logo on their forehead for a few bucks.

[SmartAssProducts.com]

Awful. Just awful. The Tournament of Roses Parade--and I will continue calling it that--is an institution. Selling out to a corporate sponsor is just so wrong.

[Mike]

We've already got Disney Hall, the Staples Center and the Nokia Theatre. Corporations already own the country. It was only a matter of time before they bought the Rose Parade.

[The real truth about it all]

Haha Deleweye!

You mean something like the Monday Night Football Halftime Show featuring the "Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, presented by KY Jelly"

[Times Reader]

Let's see if Donald Trump steps up to the plate and offers to sponsor the Rose Parade in the same way he tried to buy the land currently planned for the mosque in New York. Actually, let's see some celebrity bother to do anything toward trying to outbid Honda.

I doubt that either will happen, so the City of Pasadena did what they had to do. Since we react to the cards dealt to us, I say this: at least the sponsor wasn't AIG, Countrywide (before folding into BofA), or Goldman Sachs.

[Cynthia]

Oh brother!!!!!!

[Blithe]

No one is going to call it "The Rose Parade, Presented by Honda." Just like how no one even calls the Angels "the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim."

And for all the anti-Honda comments that are also racist in their tone: maybe if American companies like Ford of GMC actually made a decent car that was just as dependable as a Civic or a Camry, companies like Honda and Toyota wouldn't be so successful and dominant.

Because of American idiocy, incompetence and indifference, we're selling off things like the Rose Parade to foreign companies.

Besides, the Rose Parade is for geriatrics anyways. No one watches it anymore.

[Robert]

A Rose [parade] by any other name . . .

[Christopher in Pasadena]

Another American icon has been sold to a Japanese corporation.

[Rob]

The ToR leaders should hang their heads in SHAME. They've just sold a venerable American institution and tradition to a car manufacturer. The ToR should be booted from their lofty and uncaring positions and sent to work on the assembly lines of Honda, their benefactor. It's a sad day and will be much sadder on January 1, 2011 when the 2011 Rose Parade, Presented by Honda hits the streets of Pasadena. This is a traversty!

[Darren]

heard of the "Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade"?.. Ooohh no corporate sponsorship, its the end of the world

[tonye]

I can't believe all the bigots in here.

American Honda has been a part of the Rose Bowl parade for a long time. They are a part of Southern California in a way that Ford, GM and Chrysler never were/are/will be. They hire American workers, design and build in North America, etc, etc.... So, this is primarily the American side of a conglomerate that is putting more of its money into an institution with which they share a long history. Have you never noticed the Honda signs everywhere? The white Odyssey minivans?

OK, so if you're pissed off that a corporation is putting its name on the Rose Parade.. hmm.. its done everywhere. Get real and smell the roses. Better a company that pays honest wages to Americans than one that ships our money to China.

Maybe you would like to start a subscription and put your money where your mouth is? The People's Rose Parade? Go ahead, give it a try. More power to you.

The only institutions left in this country where the sponsors are not listed are your local City Hall, our State Gov. Sacramento and, of course, Washington DC. Wish it were so.

Imagine:

Your new, improved, larger tax bill, brought to you by the US Congress and Goldman Sachs -sponsors of the One Trillion Dollar Bank Bailout Bill 2011.

[ESTELLA DAVIS]

IT USED TO BE SPONSORED BY MANY SPONSORS, AND NOW, HONDA IS SPONSORING THE PARADE. GOOD LUCK HONDA WITH THE PARADE. HOPEFULLY THE NEW SPONSOR WILL FIND JUST AS MUCH SUPPORT AS THE FORMER SPONSORS DID. EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE, INCLUDING THE TOURNAMENT OF ROSES TO ONE NOW, ROSE PARADE.

[hapa]

TO ALL THOSE THAT FIND THIS SUCH "SHAMEFUL" / SELL OUT, ETC.

You have a choice - boycott it, don't watch it, write to your Congress-person/Senator/Govenor - write to Honda...
do something about it, don't just sit and whine

and in the end, why do you really care? are you telling me you get your enjoyment from saying the name of the tournament vs. actually viewing the parade itself...so what if they say Honda every time they mention the Rose Parade .... who cares!!! It's no different than other companies putting their names everywhere else.... it's not "hallowed" ground or anything people!!!

free market capitalism cuts both ways people

Y'all need to get a life!!! sheeshh

[bman]

travesty

[Mr. Z]

Does Corporate America have any scruples left?

121 years of the Rose Parade and now even they have sold out to Corporate America for a buck!!

Give em time and Honda will rename Pasadena itself!

Does everybody and everything need to sell out to Corporations??

I think this is Disgusting behavior...Nothing is sacred anymore when greed pursues the all mighty dollar!

[Michelle]

That's horrible, but then why be surprised, when every Sports arena is now named after some sponsor or other (e.g. the STAPLES Center - just to name one of many).
We have become a country of sell-outs. Very sad....

[Siamese cats]

So much for thousands of volunteers doing what they love for free. Now they have to choose if they want to do it to support Honda. To the Tournament of Roses Board: SELLOUTS! A sad day for America.

[Curio5]

So...how much did they sell there soul for....

[Rick]

Honda...the car company that proudly builds cars in the US. while Chrysler, GM and Ford build theirs in Mexico and Canada...who drives the foreign car now?

[garnet]

Just figures, anything for a buck

[Susannah2k]

How much did Tournament president Throop pocket for this travesty?

[miguel]

protest this thing and boo honda.

[miguel]

i hate money. boo honda.

[Jeff]

Traditions for sale. Get em' while their cheap.